West Germany threatens world peace. Tire conclusion of aC:erman peace treaty, designed to eliminate this. danger. hasbecome tire issue of an important stage in the struggle forpeace. now reaching its climax. Tlris issue. and its significancefor Africa, is discussed in the following article, specially writ­ten for The African Communist. The author is a member ofthe Central Committee of the Socialist Unity Party in the

German Democratic Republic.

The German Peace Treaty andAfrica

By PETER FLORIN

The Potsdam Agreement" concluded in 1945 was aimed at replac­ing the belligerent fascist terror regime by a democratic systemwhich was to cover tbe whole of Germany. However, backed by theWestern Powers, the same imperialists and militarists who hadplunged the peoples of the world into the second World War havebeen able to restore their old power in West Germany. Seventeenmonopoly groups. including Krupp, Flick, AEG, Siemens andIG·Farben, hold more than 80.3 per cent of the total share capital,thus controlling the West German economy. The West Germanstate is heoded by a government, twelve 0{ whose members, out ofa total 0/ eighteen, used to be jaithful servants of Hitler. The WestGerman Federal Army is commanded by 160 ex-Hitlerite generals,including such notorious and convicted war criminals as Foertsch•and Herzog.

For the German imperialist and militarist plans to conquer theworld the nations had to pay with the blood of 52 million dead andan estimated cost of £450,000 million. Are they to pay with even fargreater sacrifices for the new West German plans to conquer theworld in a third World War-an atom war? Or would it not bemuch better to tame revived West German militarism by concludinga German peace treaty?

Some African politicians think that the struggle against WestGerman imperialism and militarism is an internal affair of theGerman people-a "family feud" so to say-and that Africa ismany miles away from Germany. But do not the West German

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militarist atom war plans evoke an immediate and deathly dangerfor the African peoples as well? Many African countries haveNATO bases on their territories. A war unleashed by the WestGerman militarists against the socialist camp would inevitablyinvolve these countries too and expose them to annihilation, againstthe will of their peoples.

As a first step the West German "Ultras" intend to swallow theGerman Democratic Republic, to liquidate the socialist achieve­ments in the GDR and to swell and strengthen their war potentialfor the attack on the USSR and the other socialist states. Fromthese plans springs their "theory" of the liberation of the GDR bymeans of a so-called little war. The Bonn rulers do not always admittheir plans openly. They often try to conceal their intentions byhiding them behind arguments alleging that it is the division of,Germany that mainly causes tbe tensions in Germany, and that itis therefore essential to re-unite Germany first through what theycall "free elections".

The tensions are not caused by the existence of two German­stat6S. History has taught us that German imperialism waged warseven before Germany was united (the war against France in 1871,for instance) and that this was followed by even bigger wars, at atime when a united German Reich did exist. The question is rather,what type of Germany is to emerge-a peace-loving and democraticGermany or an aggressive and imperialist Germany? The imperial­ists and militarists in West Germany remember very well that, withthe aid of so-called free elections, tbey succeeded in bringing Hitlerto power in 1933 and in establishing their bloodthirsty fascist dic­tatorship over Germany. What they would like to see now is theGDR population overruled with the aid of such elections by thoseWest German sections who are under imperialist influence, the GDRpeople being subjected to their power and the whole German nationabused for their war aims. But this is never going to happen.

The German people do not need a re-unification under the eartb,as they would be sure to get it if the Bonn plans of "free elections"and "little war" were put into practice. What tbey need is a re-unifi­cation on earth, in a Germany which will secure peace, happinessand prosperity for its people. That is why we, in the GDR. say that,first of all, conditions must be created for re-unification: the tamingof West German militarism. So the safeguarding of peace by meansof putting a check on the West German "Ultras" has become themain content of tbe German problem. The beginning of its solu­tion is a German peace treaty.

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"WORLD WAR II NOT ENDED"

The opponents of a peace treaty allege that the Soviet and GDRproposals for an early conclusion of a peace treaty with both Ger­man slates would aggravate the international situation. If thisassessment were correct the international situation should haverelaxed during recent years because of the absence of a peacetreaty. But as a matter of fact, the very opposite has happened.The West German "Ultras" were encouraged in their plans andtook advantage of the absence of a peace treaty for intensifyingtheir rearmament. They stepped up their campaign of revenge,espionage and subversive activities against the GDR and thesocialist countries. and have been more and more openly pursuinga policy aimed at invading the GDR and "settling accounts" withthe Soviet Union and other socialist countries.

"World War II has not ended yet," declared the West GermanWar Minister Strauss. in a speech in California. on July 25, 1961.

The West German militarists are trying to put into effect whatHitler failed to achieve. They want to realise the criminal expan­sionist aims of Hillerite Germany, to set up their "new order" inEurope and throughout the world.

In this connection it is worth recalling a draft map issued by thenazi naval commander-in-chief on July 27th 1940 mapping outthe German imperialist territorial c/(lims in Africa. This draft mapshows that the German imperialists claimed a huge are(l stretchingright across central Africa and reaching from the Ivory Coast toKenya. from Tchad and Niger to South-West Africa and Rhodesia.Places like Conakry or Duala in the west, Dar es Salaam and Mom­basa in the east. are marked on this map as military bases for theGerman imperialists.

One of the main initiators for the drafting of these plans whichwere to establish the fascist colonial empire in Africa is Herr Hassovon Etzdorf who, previous to his appointment as ,Bonn's ambassa­dor to London, used to be a high official (Ministerial-director) inthe West German Foreign Office. He is one of those 84 per centof leading officials in the Bonn Foreign Office who used to bemembers of the old nazi gang and who are still carrying on withtheir malicious practices.

Only a German peace treaty which will legally establish the resultsof the second World War on the basis of international law is a trulyeffective means for preventing the West German militarists fromany further revenge-seeking and war pr~parations.

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PEACE PLANThe GDR proposals for such a peace treaty are in accordance

with those published by the Soviet Union.The Peace Plan passed by the People's Chamber (Parlia'!1cnt) on

July 6th 1961 sums up the German proposals for a peace treaty.Its general aims are the military neutralisation of Germany andthe realisation of the principle of peaceful co-existence applied tothe relations between the two German states and to other nations.

The People's Chamber proposes:

1. to set up a German peace commission composed of representa­tives from the parliaments and governments of both Germanstat~.

The c0mmission is to work out(a) German proposals for a peace treaty;(b) an agreement of good will for improving relations between

the two German states.2. to transform West Berlin into a free demilitarised and neutral·

city on the basis of a German peace treaty.3. to form a confederation composed of both' German states as the

only realistic means for the re-unification of Germany along thelines of peaceful co-existence.By proposing negotiations between the two German states for

the purpose of preparing a peace treaty. the GDR has protected theGerman people's right of self-determination.

The Bonn rulers, however, by signing the Paris agreements, havesold the West German people's freedom of self·determination 10the Western imperialists for the sake of getting support for theirremilitarisation. West Germany was chained (0 NATO and sub­jected to foreign occupation, right up to the year 2005! Article 2of the "German Treaty" concluded between the three WesternPowers and the Bonn government on May 26th 1952 provides thatthe Western Powers will retain "the rights and responsibilitieshitherto exerted or owned by them with regard to Berlin and Ger·many as a whole, including the re-unification of Germany and apeace settlement".

Article 4 of that same treaty provides that the Western Powersshould "retain their rights hitherto exerted or owned with regard tothe stationing of armed forces in the Federal Republic", By signingthe Brussels Five Power Agreement on March 3rd 1948 the Western 'Powers have secured for themselves the exertion of this right forthe duration of 50 years.

By imposing a ban on p.1ebiscites in West Germany to be held in

50

connection with such vital issues as the question of a German peacetreaty and the re-unification of Germany and its transformationinto a peace-loving and democratic state, the West German mili­tarists have once more trampled upon the German people's rightof self-determination.

WEST GERMANY VERSUS AFRICAThe West German militarists are trampling upon other nations'

right of self-determination as well.For the "dirty war" of the French imperialists again$t the

Algerian people, for instance, the West German militarists have so/ar flllocated more than 3,000 million marks. Seventy per cem 0/the members 01 the French Foreign Legion in Algeria are WestGermans. Wut German monopolies Wid scientists are taking partin the French nuclear tests in the Sahara. West German airportshave served NATO as bases 0/ aggression against the Congo. WestG.ermany supplied the Portuguese colonialists with 10,000 machineguns for the brutal squashing of the Angolan people's right 0/ sel/­determination.

Although the GDR in the first place advocates a peace treaty tobe concluded with both German states and negotiations between thetwo German states, we leave no doubt about it that, in case theBonn government continues to refuse a peace treaty and to furtherpursue its disastrous policy, it will be necessary to conclude a peacetreaty with the GDR alone.

Even in this case a German peace treaty would be of greatimportance-why?

Because the peace treaty, even if only concluded with the GDR,will settle on the basis of international law the existing Germanfrontiers as they are laid down in the Potsdam Agreement. Thiswould deal an immense blow to the West German "Ultras" andalso to those aggressive circles in the U.S.A. which are either openlyor secretly supporting Bonn.

Such a peace treaty would strengthen the progressive forces inWest Germany enabling them to force the Bonn government tochange its policies: It will show these forces once more that theGDR is the only guarantor of the German people's national interestsand it will inspire their efforts to bring the Bonn "Ultras" to theirsenses and to remove the obstacles in the way of a step-by-steprapprochement between the two German states and their ultimatepeaceful and democratic re-unification.

So this peace treaty would not "cement" the split of Germany,

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as it is alleged by Adenauer. Strauss and Brandt propagandists. Itwill belpto overcome the division of Germany.

The German peace plan as it was passed by the People's Cham­ber proceeds from tbe point of view that under prevailing conditionSan immediate re-unification of tbe two German states is not pos­sible. It bas therefore developed tbe idea of a German confedera­tion with the object of preventing a further drifting apart of theGerman nation and with the aim of improving co-operation between,the two German states.

These proposals are the only practicable way to solve tM Germanproblem in a peaceful manner. They are a continuation of tbe greatefforts made by the GDR in the past to come to negotiations withthe lJ;tonn government.

WEST BERLINThe peace treaty, even if only concluded with the GPR, will mark

the beginning of the final solution of the West Berlin problem, WestBerlin in recent years has grown ~nlo a great source of' dangerthreatening tbe GDR and tbe socialist camp. The West Germanmilitarists themselves have cynically named this part of the capitalof the GDR the "front city", the "cheapest atom bomb in the centreof a socialist state"!

From thue more than 80 espionage organisations representingthe secret services 01 the whole imperialist world have been sendingtheir agents into the GDR and the other socialist countries in orderto undermine economic construction. West Berlin hos been turnedinto a vast centre lor trade in huma~ being~ inducing or black­mailing citizens 01 the GDR to leave the Republic. Smuggling ofindustrial goods and loodstuffs from the GDR was organis.ed on ahuge scale. Skilled workers were enticed to leave their work andtake up a job in the monopoly enterprises. Or used as scabs againstthe West Berlin workers because they would work for lower wages.West German politicians 01 revenge were playing Iravoc in W~t

Berlin, launching provocation alter provocation against the GDR.The open border to West Berlin cost the GDR working people atleast three-and-a-hall thousand million marks a year.

Tbis spell was ended on August 13tb 1961. The GDR governmentmeasures have installed a "cordon.sanitaire" around this morass ofthe "front city and thus taken the West Berlin gunpowder magazineunder control.

In face of our determined action tbe imperialists are bitterlycomplaining and shouting about a violation of tbeir alleg.d rigbtsin West IBerlin. All this is of course pure hypocrisy.

'2

Both the statement on tbe zones of occupation issued on June 5th1945 and the declaration "concerning the control procedure in Ger­many" clearly define Berlin as inalienably belonging to the territoryof the former Soviet zone of occupation which is now the GDR.

The presence of, Western troops in West Berlin results from thefact that Berlin as capital of Germany used to be the seat of theAllied Control Council which had the task of securing the imple­mentation of the Potsdam Agreement for the whole of Germany.

Contrary to this task, the Western Powers split Berlin and pre­vented the implementation of the Potsdam Agreement both in WestBerlin and West Germany. In 1947 they prevented the transfer ofthe big companies into the hands of the people. They introduced aseparate currency in the Western sectors in June 1948, set up aseparate administration in West ·Berlin in September of that sameyear, and finally enacted the "little occupation statute" for that partof the city in May 1949. With the aid of this statute they are still­sixteen years after the end of the war-trying to prevent democraticdevelopment in West Berlin and to strengthen the positions of themilitarists and fascists.

NO LEGAL FOUNDATIONBy taking all these actions the Western Powers have themselves

abolished any legal foundation which might serve as a justificationfor the presence of their troops in West Berlin.

The GDR's readiness to solve the West Berlin problem by peace­ful negotiations was proved by her proposal for a compromise,which would transform West Berlin into a demilitarised free city,although it is situated on the territory and in the midst of the GDR.This city will no longer tolerate any revenge-seekers and incorrigiblemilitarists. Hs atmosphere should be clean and will guarantee tbefreedom of the West Berlin people to determine their own lives,including the possibility for free communications with any countrythey may choose.

To some of those "wise guys" who had the idea of transformingthe whole of Berlin into a free city we reply unmistakably thatBerlin is the capital of the socialist GDR and that no one in theworld is threatened by its democratic part. It is West Berlin wherethe source of danger is located, and it will be removed!

Our proposals clearly show that we do not want war but nego­tiations. The Western Powers and the West German governmenthad plenty of time for submitting proposals of their own. Butinstead, they preferred to rattle the sabre, time and again. They arestirring up war hysteria to the utmost trying to pretend that tbey

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arc strong. But the world today can no longer be deceived about thetcue balance of forces in the world. The great Soviet successes inthe rocket field' and the heroic deeds of the Soviet cosmonauts,Major Gagarin and Major Titov, have largely contributed to makethis clear.

Anybody who likes to play with the fire of aggression againstthe socialist camp should remember that be would not only burnhis fingers but extinguish his own life.

The safeguarding of peace and the struggle against imperialismand militarism are vital for the African peoples too.

We are convinced that ever increasing sections of the Africanpeople will support the just proposals and demands put forward bythe Soviet and GDR governments. And the united strength of allpeace-loving people in the world will secure peace in Europe, Africaand throughout the world.

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